Elastic bearing for separators



Nov. 8, 1932.

H. o. LINDGREN '1,887,315 ELASTIC BEARING FOR SEPARATORS Filed March 9, 1929 5 tions.

Patented Nov. 8, 1932 HANS OLOF LINDGEEN, OFAPPLvIKEN, fswnnniv, .assienonv'r'o -`'rmi DE murat 'snrnnn'ron ocMPAivY, onfnnwyonn', n.3., A 'CORPORATION- or NEW JERSE- Y Appleman-inea maren 9,1929, seriai No. 345,663, and in sweden March 1s\,19:as.Y

' 1 In manyicentrifugallmachines, such as separators, it iszcustomary to have =the vbowlsupporting shaft turn in an elastic bearing r. the center of gravity of the bowl lies outside the center line' of the shaft.Vv Thesebearings usually'areso constructed that the bush or bearing surrounding the shaft is supported by one or more springs-arranged in the frame, l@ of fthe machine. :The properties of lthese springs must be adaptedto the size of the separator,so that, when the bowl exceeds the critical speed, the elastic force willv become sufficiently great to preventtoo heavy vibra- Onvthe other hand, theelastic Jforce must not be so great as to transmit too strong vibrations to the tramewhen `,the separator bowl isrotating at normal speed. vExperience has shown that the bearings used for sta'- c tionary separators are not suitable for centriuges mounted on amoving support, for exlample, on board ships in heavy sea. In order to prevent too. great vibration of the separator bowl in such installations, it would be desirable to have a spring system in which the elastic forces rapidly increase with magnitude of deflection. This would, however, entail the diiiiculty that, as above stated, unnecessarily heavy vibrations would arise in r9 the separator when the movements of the support are small. y

The present invention comprises an elastic bearing in which the spring system has such properties that a strong increase of the elastic force is reached as soon as the vibration of the bowl becomes greater than is normal with machines mounted on a stationary support. The bearing is acted upon by two sets of springs, one relatively weak and one relatively strong, the weaker of which is constantly working upon the bearing, whereas the stronger mainly acts upon the bearing when it is displaced from its middle or normal po-` sition more than is normally the caseV with machines mounted on a stationary support.

In the drawing, which shows preferred embodiments of my invention- Fig. l is a view, partly in plan and partly in cross-section, lof one embodiment of the invention.

1n order to avoid too heavy vibrations when Fig. 2 is a `sectional 'elevationofanother embodiment of the invention.

Fig-3 is a cross-sectional view of another embodiment ofthe invention. .4 v

' Referring, first, to the construction shown in Fig. l: The shaft a of a 'centrifugal sepa- V rator bowl is surrounded by av bearing b. In a part c supported-by, or tormingjp'art of, the frame of the centrifugal machine, and surrounding :and spaced from bearing Z), lare a number of radial recesses within `which are radially slidableibul'ers d.: Screw plugs e close the outer ends of theserecesses. Springs f are confined between these'plugs andgthe inner end heads of buffers' d and constantly press the buii'ers against bearing In the frame c are formed other radial recesses, in `which are radially `slidable buffers h, between the innervend-heads of which and screw plugs i closing the'outer ends of the recesses are conlined' springs g.` l Springs g tendto press buffers [Lzagain'st bearing b, but complementary shoulders j on bulers; It

and frame e` holdbutfers 7L lout, of contact with and spaced from-.bearing Vb whenthe latter is in its normal central position or is vonly slightly displaced therefrom.

The properties Aof the springs f, which con:-

.stantly `work *upon` vthev bearing'pare those which are desirable in a springsystemior use in centrifugal' machines4 mounted on a stationary support; that is, they are relatively weak.` Springs g are relatively strong and are ineffective to resist-radial displacementgof the bearing until. the amplitude 0f such displacement exceeds that which normally occurs with'cenrtrifuges mounted on a stationary support. -.When,the bearing has `been so farl displaced from its normal position thatV itcontacts 'with any onel of the buiers 7L, thefelastic forces yieldingly resistingffurther displacement of vthe bearing considerably increase, whereby too great deflection ofthe bowl is prevented. f

Referring, next, tothe construction shown .in Fig. 2: In the part c supported by, Vor

forming part of, the machine frame, and surrounding and spaced from bearing b, are a number of radial recesses, closed by vscrew plugs m, inthe innerfendo'f each ofwhich recesses is slidable a buifer n and in the outer end a buffer o. A comparatively weak spring r is confined between the plug m and the innerend head of buffer a and constantly presses buffer n against the bearing. A comparatively strong spring s is confined between plug m and a flangeoon the buffer'o.

Buffer o is adapted to be engaged by buffer n.

when the outward displacement of the bearing exceeds a predetermined amplitude. By means of 'an annular shoulder or stop k on frame 0, buffer o is restrained from moving inward and is thereby held spaced from buffer n when the latter is in its normal posiouter end ofthe recess.V Spring o isposi'- tioned back of spring u and the two springs mayv be separated by a buffer which normally contacts with a stop y. V.The inner spring u isv of such character that its coils completley close when the deflection of bearing b reaches a predetermined amplitude, after which spring u acts, as a Vsolid body, to compress spring fv, thereby setting up a strong increase of the 'elastic forces tending to re- 'sist further displacement.

, It is to be understood that the embodiments of my invention shown are merely examples of the practical application of my invention, which is susceptible of embodiment in other 'specific constructions.

I am aware that it is known to provide on this 20th engagement therewith and adapted to yieldingly resist bearing displacements of relatively small amplitude, a series of relatively strong springs also arranged along different radii of the bearing and means to hold each strong spring in compression but out of operative relation .with the bearing during said relatively small displacements thereof and until the displacement exceeds a predetermined amplitude and to then allow lthat strong'spring, which is in line of'displacement ofthe bearing, to, by reason of its being held in compression, offer a sudden substantially increased resistanceto displacement beyond said predetermined amplitude.

` 2. An elasticbearing struoturefor :centrifuges vcomprising an annular bearing adapted to enclose the shaft of the centrifuge, a frame surrounding the bearing and provided with radial recesses open at their inner ends, buiers` slidable in said radial recesses, relatively weaksprings pressing the buffers against the bearing and adapted to yieldingly resist relativelysmall bearing displacements, stops on said frame, vother buffers slidable in radial recesses' behind 'said stops, heads closing the outer ends of said radial recesses, relatively strong springs held in compression back 'of said other buers and pressing the latter said stops, each stop thus holding the corresponding strong spring in inoperative position until the displacement of the bearing toward such spring exceeds a predetermined amplitude. f 1

In'testimony of which invention, I have hereunto set my hand, at Stockholm, Sweden,

Vday of February, 1929. HANS 'OLOF LINDGREN.

springs adapted to centrifugal separator "bearings, vwhich increase their resistance at a rate exceeding the amplitude of the movement 'of the Vshaft and bearing.V Suchsprings are disclosed in the Leitch Patents 1,352,204, 'September' 7, 1920, and No.11,373,084:,1March y29,V 1921. In the present invention, however, jone spring system is depended on, mainly or wholly, to take care of small displacements that may be considered-as normal for a separator mounted on a stationary foundation, while they other, and preferably a substantially stronger, spring system does not substantially start functioning until the deflection ,exceeds what may be rconsidered as nor- 'Inal -for a separator mounted o n a stationary foundation.

` What I claim is: i

"1. An elastic bearing structure forcen- A'tfrifi'iges comprising an annular bearing "adapted 'to surround the shaft of the centrifuge, a series of relatively weak compression springs extending along different radii of the vbearing andin continuous operative 

